Crime prevention programs for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia

Lorana Bartels*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Book/ReportCommissioned reportpeer-review

Abstract

Australia has a greater proportion of migrants (ie people living in Australia who were born overseas) relative to most other Western countries (Baur 2006); as at 30 June 2009, around a quarter of Australia’s estimated resident population was born overseas (ABS 2010a). According to the 2006 Census, in descending order of population size, the main CALD groups in Australia are from Italy, China, Vietnam, India and the Philippines. However, between 1996 and 2006, increasing proportions of new arrivals came from Sudan (an average increase of 28% per year), Afghanistan (12%) and Iraq (10%; see Baur 2006). Most CALD communities in Australia, especially Asian communities, are concentrated in urban areas (Sawrikar & Katz 2008).

It is generally recognised (eg see OMI 2009) that people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities may face a range of complex issues, including discrimination and prejudice, social isolation and disenfranchisement, and difficulties in assimilating within the broader Australian culture and/or in maintaining a sense of identification with the culture of origin. In addition, refugees or people who have migrated to Australia as a result of adversity may be suffering from undiagnosed or untreated trauma. All of these factors may impact on involvement in and engagement with the criminal justice system. In this paper, the key criminal justice issues in relation to CALD communities are reviewed and a summary of relevant protective and risk factors provided. Some CALD-specific crime prevention programs, which serve to promote resiliency and protective factors and/or inhibit risk factors, are then presented. In order to ensure relevance and currency, the paper is primarily limited to Australian research from 2006 onwards.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationCanberra
PublisherAustralian Institute of Criminology
Number of pages14
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2011
Externally publishedYes

Publication series

NameResearch in Practice
PublisherAustralian Institute of Criminology
No.18
ISSN (Print)1836-9111

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